How do you go from struggling, emerging or even semi-established artist to selling a complete show for $198 million? It’s a big art world out there, but maybe this is one place to start!

Magical Elves (Peabody Award-winning Project Runway, Emmy Award-winning Top Chef) and Sarah Jessica Parker (Golden Globe- and Emmy Award-winner) and her production company, Pretty Matches, are teaming up for an hour-long creative competition series among aspiring contemporary artists who will create and compete to conquer the art world!

If you’re an emerging or mid-career artist with a unique, powerful voice that demands a bigger stage – well. . . Here. It. Is.

We want contemporary artists. Your medium could be one of many (or several of many) – painting, sculpture, installation, video, photography, mixed-media – we want voices that believe in their art and want the world to know.

Attend one of our four regional casting calls around the country and we will consider you for participation in this groundbreaking show.

DATES:

LOS ANGELES
Saturday, July 11 & Sunday, July 12, 10 AM – 2 PM
LAXART
www.laxart.org

MIAMI
Tuesday, July 14, 10 AM – 2 PM
Fredric Snitzer Gallery
www.snitzer.com

CHICAGO
Thursday, July 16, 10 AM – 2 PM
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Sullivan Galleries, 33 State Street
www.saic.edu

NEW YORK
Saturday, July 18 & Sunday, July 19, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
White Columns
www.whitecolumns.org

PLEASE BRING THE FOLLOWING TO THE OPEN CASTING CALLS:

1) YOUR COMPLETED AND SIGNED APPLICATION FROM THE WEBSITE (NOTE: YOU WILL NOT BE ADMITTED TO THE OPEN CASTING CALL UNLESS THIS APPLICATION AND THE CERTIFICATION OF VERACITY IS COMPLETED AND SIGNED);

2) A “DIGITAL PORTFOLIO” WITH REPRESENTATIONS OF AT LEAST 10 PIECES OF ARTWORK, PREFERABLY MORE. THE DIGITAL PORTFOLIO MUST BE ON A CD-ROM OR USB FLASH DRIVE/JUMP DRIVE THAT IS CLEARLY LABELED WITH YOUR NAME, PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL ADDRESS. THE DIGITAL PORTFOLIO WILL BE LEFT WITH CASTING AND NOT RETURNED TO YOU;

3) A HARD COPY PORTFOLIO THAT SHOWS YOUR RANGE/DEPTH OF WORK. THIS HARD COPY PORTFOLIO WILL BE REVIEWED ON-SITE BY CASTING, SO PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD. THIS HARD COPY WILL NOT BE LEFT WITH CASTING;

4) IF POSSIBLE, ANY ORIGINAL ARTWORK THAT IS EASILY TRANSPORTABLE. THESE PIECES OF ARTWORK WILL BE FOR REVIEW ON-SITE AND YOU WILL NOT LEAVE THIS ARTWORK WITH CASTING; AND

5) AN UPDATED RESUME.

For more info visit: www.bravotv.com

NYILFF will consider films made by, featuring, about and/or for the Latino community. The festival will consider all forms: feature narrative, short     films, documentary and experimental shorts. All projects must have been completed by no earlier than 2006. Projects in a language other English must have English subtitles. Films cannot have been broadcast (television or Internet) or distributed commercially in the U.S. prior to the festival. Exceptions are made for short films and documentaries. All genres are welcome.

The official deadline is March 14, 2008 | The late deadline is April 11, 2008 

To enter visit: www.nylatinofilm.com

UPDATED 10 02 07 | 12:34PM EST: Last week Variety reported that Miramax and über producer Scott Rudin have optioned Junot's book for a film adaptation that will start production in 2008. Congrats to Junot and his squad!

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By Led Black

It may have taken him ten years to follow up his literary debut "Drown", but for all of those who were longing for his new material, the wait was worth every second.   Undoubtedly one of the most exquisite voices of contemporary literature, Dominican writer Junot Diaz has nailed a novel that depicts the Dominican experience from all angles, and believe us, he takes no prisoners.

Titled “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao”, Diaz tells us a Dominican story that travels from DR to Jersey, and back and forth in time in signature Sci-Fi approach.  The book describes the story of Oscar, your average Dominican teenager and his family, their interactions and their history: Tackling on Dominican Society in the island, the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo, and the reasons that provoked Oscar's family to ultimately migrate to the U.S.  Diaz pays extreme caution in depicting details that encapsulate not only Oscar's life but the actual state of the entire Dominican community with a distinctive flare and wit that amazes you over and over:

"Every summer Santo Domingo slaps the Diaspora engine back into reverse, yanks back as many as its expelled children as it can...Like someone had sounded a general reverse evacuation order: Back home, everybody! Back home!"

With a prevailing notion of current times, Not only does Diaz focus on Oscar's life...but he keeps on throwing references to major social events that could help people from all walks of life relate to the narrative and Oscar's geeky existence.  Yes, there's lots of references to Thee Lord of The Rings, and other major books, but he does know how to drop a throw back and slam you with descriptions like this:

"Oscar, who had never been punched a couple of times by a military trained adult, felt like he had been run over by the entire Steelers backfield circa 1977."

"...It is believed that the arrival of Europeans on Hispaniola unleashed the fukú on the world, and we've been in the shit ever since."

"It's all true plataneros..." as Diaz would say: The man is back.  For all of us who made of "Drown" a staple set in stone in our college years, this is a major event.  Diaz does a wonderful job of describing our heritage and our experience as part of the Diaspora not only in telling our story through Oscar's life, but in reminding us who we are, were we come from, and leaving us hope as to where we might be heading as a society.

Junot Diaz will kick off his book signing tour starting Thursday September 6th from 7 'til 9PM at Barnes and Noble Union Square

Here are the rest of his book tour dates:

09 07 07 | 7:30PM | Washington, DC  | Borders - Bailey's Crossroads

09 08 07 | 7:30PM | So. Hadley, MA | Odyssey Bookshop at Hampshire College

09 09 07 | 2PM | East Brunswick, NJ | Barnes and Noble, 2PM

09 10 07 | 6PM | Chicago, IL | Chicago Public Library Main Branch

09 11 07 | 7PM | Philadelphia, PA | Free Library of Philadelphia

09 12 07 | 6PM | Cambridge, MA | Harvard Bookstore at the Brattle Theatre

09 13 07 | 8PM | Miami, FL | Books & Books

09 14 07 | 7:00PM | Dayton, OH | Books & Co.

09 15 07 | 2PM | Madison, WI | Barnes and Noble - West Towne Mall

09 16 07 | 6:30PM | Iowa City, IA | Prairie Lights

09 17 07 | 7:30PM | Edina, MN | Barnes and Noble

09 18 07 | 7PM | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis Public Library Schlafly Branch

09 19 07 | 7PM | Los Angeles, CA | Dutton's

09 20 07 | 7:30PM | Boulder, CO | Boulder Bookstore

09 21 07 | 7PM | Dallas, TX | Borders – Preston Road

09 22 07 | 2PM | Tulsa, OK | Barnes and Noble - Southroads

09 23 07 | 3PM | Austin, TX | Book People

09 24 07 | 7:30PM | Seattle, WA | Elliott Bay Book Company

09 25 07 | 7:30PM | Portland, OR | Powell's City of Books - Burnside

09 26 07 | 7PM | Oakland, CA | Diesel Books

09 27 07 | 7PM | Corte Madera, CA | Book Passage

09 28 07 | 7PM | Ann Arbor, MI | Borders - Downtown

09 29 07 | 3PM | Houston, TX | Latino Family Festival

10 02 07 | 6PM | New York, NY | Instituto Cervantes

The Cuervotron Volume 4 compilation CD is now in production and looking for artist(s) that are interested in submitting a track for consideration. The CD is set to release in June/July. If you or anyone you know is interested, submit an mp3 and song title to:

Carolyn Concepcion: carolync@usconcepts.com

Do you, or someone you know have a project for the betterment of humankind? The Rolex Awards for Enterprise supports exceptional men and women who are breaking new ground in areas which advance human knowledge and well being. There are five categories that judges look for: Science and Medicine; Technology and Innovation; Exploration and Discovery; and the Environment. Five winning applicants will be selected and each awarded $100,000.00 to support the advancement of their project. They will also receive a solid gold Rolex watch. Five runners up will each receive a financial reward as well as a steel and gold Rolex watch. The deadline of entries is Midnight (GMT), May 31, 2007 for Asia; the Pacific; and North, Central and South America. For Europe, Africa and the Middle East the deadline is Midnight (GMT), September 30, 2007. Spread the word.

For more info visit: www.rolexawards.com

Editor's note: The deadline for The GenArt 2007 styles competition has been extended until March 30, 2007.
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Gen Art is now accepting designer submissions for the Styles Annual International Design Competition and Runway show, which features 2 looks from 5 different designers in six categories-Ready To Wear, Eveningwear, Avant-Garde, Menswear, Accessories and the Perrier Bubbling Under Award. The competition is open to all emerging fashion talent, including students, who have been designing under their own name for 7 years or less. In 2006, the competition received more than 850 submissions from 25 countries and 29 U.S. States.

Five finalists in each category are featured in a high profile New York runway show on Tuesday, May 22nd, where fashion celebrity judges such as Betsey Johnson, Tim Gunn, Nicole Miller and Diane Von Furstenberg, award $5,000 in each category.

To apply for Styles, please visit www.genart.org  and download the application form, or if you have more questions about the event, please send an email to styles@genart.org .

Gen Art is a non-profit organization that showcases the top emerging talent in fashion, film and the visual arts in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Miami to hundreds of members of the fashion industry and press.

The deadline for entry is Friday, March 23, 2007.

Pitbull, Hip Hop mogul Chingo Bling and rising talent Malverde recently announced the 2nd annual talent search for “La Nueva Generación”, the next generation of Latino artists in urban music.  Known as Cuervotón, the contest will serve as a platform for exposure to unsigned artists, ensuring the longevity of Latinos in the music industry in partnership with, BMI, Gibson, Def Jam’s Roc La Familia and Atlantic Records. They are also partnering with LIFEbeat, The Music Industry’s AIDS charity organization, which is dedicated to reaching America’s next generation with the message of HIV/AIDS prevention. 

Cuervotón is touring the country searching for the hottest up-and-coming talent. Contestants from across the nation will have the opportunity to submit their demos for review, compete for a major record deal with Def Jam’s Roc La Familia and be featured on Estudio 201’s Volume 3 CD.  In addition, finalists will share the stage with some of the hottest stars in urban music and tour with Cuervotón in 2008. Semi- Finals will be held in New York, Chicago, Miami, Phoenix and Houston. The final concert event will take place in Chicago in May, 2007.

For more info visit: www.cuervoton.com

Bacardi Limon and Fashion Week Daily have teamed up to create a contest giving up and coming fashion designers the opportunity to win and and garner exposure for their work.

Submit your original sketches of men's and women's evening wear and you just might win $5000.00 and the fashion apprenticeship of a lifetime.

Visit www.fashionweekdaily.com/expressyourstyle for contest rules and details. All entries must be submitted by February 16, 2007 and include "REPÚBLICA UPDATE" in the application.

Log onto www.fashionweekdaily.com today.

Galavisión is looking for talented individuals for its first-ever reality show, Misión: Reportar. Contestants will compete to win the career opportunity of a lifetime…to become the next reporter for Univision Networks. We are looking for candidates who can handle the pressures and excitement of a reality TV competition.

WHO: Applicants must be 21 years of age, fluent in Spanish and a U.S. Citizen. Must be available to participate in the program from March 5-April 5, 2007 in Miami.

WHAT: Misión: Reportar will showcase weekly challenges where teams will interview celebrities and cover entertainment news events for reports that will air on some of Univision Networks’ most popular programs. Over the course of the competition, celebrity judges will evaluate and eliminate contestants based on their reporting abilities and team contributions. Two finalists will compete in the live grand finale, where viewers will be able to vote online and via text messages for their favorite contestant.

WHEN & WHERE: Details and application available online until 1/31/07, please visit Univision.com, Uniclave: Mision. Live auditions will be held in Miami, Houston, LA, Chicago and NY- Dates TBD.

WHY: Because your dreams do come through! 

CONTEST: We're giving away two pairs of tickets for the Saturday, Jan 20th show to the first two people that can answer the following question correctly. What seven South American countries do the Andes Mountains extend through? E-mail your answers before 4PM on Thursday January 18, 2007 to: republicaupdate@gmail.com. Winners will be notified via e-mail with instructions on where to pick up their tickets.

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ABOUT THE SHOW: The Public Theater is hosting the international experimental theater festival “Under the Radar.” It features “En Un Sol Amarillo (Memorias De Un Temblor)”, created and performed by Teatro de los Andes.

Equal parts docu-play, physical theatre and comic burlesque, EN UN SOL AMARILLO sheds light on tragedy and corruption with wit and pathos. Fusing actual testimonies with electrifying theatrical imagery, Teatro de los Andes recreates the feverish atmosphere of Bolivia in 1998, when a massive earthquake rocked the country’s foundations. Performed by a chameleonic cast of four, EN UN SOL AMARILLO is an emotionally-charged retelling of a community faced with devastation. (Performed in Spanish with English supertitles)

With a repertoire of seventeen plays and more than twelve hundred performances in Bolivia and world wide, Teatro de los Andes has become one of the most influential and important theatrical groups in South American theatre. Founded in 1991, with its distinctive fusion of western theatrical technique and the Andean tradition, the ensemble is rooted in improvisation, physical and vocal work and the belief in the actor as “actor-poet." Run Time: 65 Minutes.

SCHEDULE: Wed. Jan. 17th, 8PM | Thurs. Jan. 18th, 1PM
Fri. Jan. 19th, 7PM | Sat. Jan. 20th, 7PM | Sun. Jan. 21st, 2PM

THE PUBLIC THEATER
425 Lafayette Street
New York, NY
Tickets: $15 | Click here to order tickets online or call 212-967-7555.

For more information on Teatro Los Andes visit: www.utopos.org.